Nottingham Forest 4 - 0 Gillingham

Some week it's been. Got to admit the excellent PR generated by recent events from our Carling Cup tie has at least changed my attitude towards our neighbours down the A46 for the better (and even Megson whom I've always maintained is a decent bloke despite the untold damage he caused whilst here can hold his head high), and the fact both clubs emerged with considerable credit from it all is heartening to say the least.

Contrast this true display of sportsmanship with it being inevitably eclipsed by the breaking news of the high-profile departure of The Special One barely 24 hours later, prompting crowds of Chelski fans to flock to Stamford Bridge, whining at the loss of their bringer of joy and provider of the kind of wall-to-wall success enjoyed in three years that other clubs wouldn't mind in twenty three years. Yes, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the Kings Road horses and all the Kings Road men won't be doing much for that.

All I can say in response is they should try being Forest fans and endure what we've put up with for the last eight years - that would soon bring them back to earth with a jolt.

Maybe The Special One might even want to contemplate the current vacancy at Gillingham (now that would be the turn-around of the century!) whose current plight was exposed big-time today at The City Ground by one of the most functional if unspectacular Forest performances I've seen in quite a while.

First impressions today was that attendance was going to be considerably down, there being simply far fewer people around outside the ground and in the pub, A-Block looked distinctly depleted although curiously BC Upper seemed to make up for it. All that said however, Gillingham never has been the biggest home fixture of the season and results have been variable at the best of times.

Cup match midweek or not, I was pleased to see some big changes to the starting line-up - the sort I'd been waiting to see for quite some time. Chris Cohen was allowed to continue his run which started at Vale Park last week (how typical I should miss our first win of the season!), an unchanged back four still meant only a place on the bench for Brecks, and most significantly with Clingan restored to the starting line-up this meant Commons and Perch were both relegated to the bench, especially since CC had decided to stick with playing three up front.

Gillingham on the other hand looked like they'd brought the shovels out and had dug themselves firmly in at the Bridgford End fielding a bizarre-looking 9-0-1 formation with only Delroy Facey as a token strike force, and who spent just about the whole game in Wes' pocket.

Not surprisingly the first half was a pretty stodgy affair with Gillingham's defence having something like a brick wall to help them as they repelled attack after attack. It looked for a while as if we were adopting the usual routine of spraying the ball around the back then lofting it high in the final third with the usual predictability, and it was nearly 20 minutes before we mustered something which resembled a shot on goal in the form of a piledriver from Kevin Wilson. But as the passing became a little more slick we started to create chances, and after Wes, Luke and Jules had realised there was no-one in a blue shirt likely to visit them they too started moving forward - Wes on one occasion showing his skill on the ball by weaving himself out of a tight spot in the middle of the field having got the better of Facey.

Eventually the bombardment on Stillie's goal started in earnest with a succession of attempts by Tyson with much of the support being provided by Grant Holt who was playing wide, a good break from Lennon and some slick passing by Chambers. Not that the others were slacking in any way, and I must admit at times it was difficult to distinguish between Lennon and Sammy from behind, given how similar they look - and play if this afternoon's evidence was anything to go by.

But it was a free kick which helped us finally break the deadlock a couple of minutes before half time. Lennon's ball found Holt on the far left and his cross was met by Junior Agogo at the near post. Bang!

So relief more than anything I think, but the fact we'd finally found a way through was a start. The test now was to see if we could build on that rather than us being the ones ending up being dug in for an onslaught and then conceding silly late goals. Lennon's comments midweek about this trait were accurate enough, although most of us must have wondered if he'd come down in the last shower if he thought it was only now we were waking up to the fact this problem needed addressing.

As far as the rest of this game went though, we needn't have worried. After Gillingham made a half-hearted attempt to fight back after the restart it was a return to one-way traffic as we forced a succession of corners. Cohen's initial effort being a little on the iffy side and subsequently shown up by the old master when Sammy sent a far better one in from the other side only seconds later, but this barely constituted a gripe as the ball was finding the likes of Chambers and Morgan on separate attempts and it took Simon King to save Gillingham with a header off the line on one occasion, then Southall to deny him on another. It was good to see Trigger welcomed back by so many Forest fans today, even singing his name as he prepared to take a corner kick during the first half, the only occasion it caused Smudge to rise from his deckchair all afternoon.

It was getting to the point we were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Gillingham, but couldn't quite finish the job. The closest attempt at this stage was when a long-range shot by Tyson from the right was denied by the woodwork (and not for the first time today either), and although Agogo was in a perfect position just a couple of yards out he was unable to control the ball and it went agonisingly skywards. Not that we had to contemplate this apparent sitter for long as another chance this time courtesy of Sammy materialised shortly afterwards, and this time Agogo made contact with his head as the ball again came in from the right and was able to plant a bullet header in the bottom corner. Game safe enough now.

The third goal really never should have happened, and for that we really have to thank Mike Newell's friend Amy Rayner who was lino in front of the dug-outs, but for a moment looked as if she was auditioning for this year's Sleeping Beauty panto as the ball looked to have gone completely over the touchline as it was scooped back towards Tyson by Bennett (I think) who then advanced at pace before squaring the ball towards Agogo who once again was in perfect position for the easiest of tap-ins and his hat-trick. I did feel a little sorry for the Gillingham bench who quite understandably were incensed at Ms Rayner's momentary lapse, and even Calderwood appeared slightly bewildered for a moment, but I guess it re-dresses the balance a little after having one or two perfectly legitimate goals ruled out, so I guess what goes around comes around, and ultimately it was never going to change the outcome of this contest. Game over.

Needless to say it was standing ovation time as Agogo was eventually substituted, but the fun wasn't over yet. It's games like this when the floodgates finally open, we've got red shirts queueing up in the box like Northern Rock customers, and we've gone from struggle-to-score mode to unable-to-stop-scoring mode that there's an ideal opportunity to blood one of the youngsters and hopefully set them off on a road previously trodden by the likes of Dawson and Jenas, and if not necessarily for the future of Forest, perhaps for the future of England remaining a dominant force in the world stage. Enter Emile Sinclair whose first action of the game was to benefit from a bit of pinball following Chambers' cross before stabbing the ball firmly past Stillie for his first senior goal, and after less than a minute on the pitch. What an entrance!

There was time also for Commons to come on for Lennon and for Perch to replace Chambers who'd taken a bit of a knock shortly before the end, but even they would have to admit they were merely extras in today's goal-fest, which hopefully will give them something to think about as the last two league results (not to mention first back-to-back wins of the season) have shown what competition for places is all about. Something even Matt Lockwood will have to contemplate, although at least today's League One results won't mean he'll still be wishing he'd stayed at Leyton O.

A nice touch at the end as Calderwood and the coaching staff joined the players for a team hug in front of a delighted home crowd (signs of this season's squad at long last beginning to bond with the fans!), and it should also be noted how the three ex-reds in Trigger, Craig Armstrong and Adam Nowland were well received by the current squad and the fans today. Adam Nowland in particular it was good to see actually playing - a stark contrast to his time here when he saw more of the treatment table than the pitch.

Having got over realising it's five long months since I last saw Forest win, I will admit that in contrast to the Bournemouth game on opening day I was actually fired up for this game, heartened that the victory at Vale Park looked to be the kick start we needed and would carry far greater weight as long as we carried that on today. No real doubt we achieved that, and we managed it ultimately without breaking sweat, prompting me to draw parallels with the early part of a certain season which a great many will doubtless recall. Remember the one when we were blown apart at Fratton Park on opening day, and ultimately conceding four goals before scoring one ourselves over the next two games? Those who remember what happened next game will recall how we took apart an extremely poor Owls side to win by the same scoreline as today, and ultimately put the spluttering start - to what turned out to be our best season in recent years - behind us. A win was certainly a priority then as it was today, and the fact we've preceded this one with a win on our travels as well is cause for encouragement. The scoreline was probably a fair reflection on the game today, given the number of chances we created and came so close to converting.

OK, we do need to get this into perspective, I grant you. Even allowing for our form against The Gills to be patchy at times there's no doubt this was the poorest side they've fielded against us for ages, offering nothing positive whatsoever, and there will be few easier games than this for us all season. Having said that, how many times have we failed to put away poor sides (especially those recently bereft of their manager) and achieving a miserable draw or even succumbing to a surprise home defeat? It does make me wonder what sort of result we'd have managed had we played this lot mid-week, and that is a test which we face in the weeks ahead, beginning in ten days at Huddersfield, and in five weeks' time here against ... er ... Oldham, and we all know what happened the last time they came here.

So, much to be encouraged about from today. Not the finished article, but a far more positive display in evidence, on a par with what I saw last April at Brisbane Road. I think I can hear that engine running a little more smoothly now.

Ref Watch: E L Ilderton - One of those rare occasions when a ref lets the game flow, and doubly refreshing to administer not a single card all afternoon. As for Amy Rayner? Maybe she was making up for her flag-happy display at Glanford Park earlier this year with that lapse which led to Junior's hat-trick, so think we'll let her off today.

Entertainment Value: More a functional win than a display of good football, though the finishing improved dramatically as the second half progressed. 6.5/10

Atmosphere: Distinctly subdued, though nothing four goals couldn't put right.

Highlights: A sustained bombardment on the Gills' goal with attacks improving as the game progressed; Superb finishing for a deserved Agogo hat-trick; A clean sheet; A dream start for young Sinclair; Great to see how a re-vamped line-up can make all the difference.

Lowlights: The only real bum note was the knock taken by Chambers shortly before the final whistle - wouldn't want it to interrupt his contribution over the last couple of games.

Stinker: Not today.

Stormer: Agogo as the hat-trick hero being the obvious choice, but in truth the whole team deserve credit for a solid performance.